Party Wall Agreements and Your Drains

Posted on 21st Jan 2017 by admin_drain

A party wall agreement is a contract between neighbours made to prevent and resolve disputes related to shared party walls or construction that affects neighbouring property. It can apply to shared walls, buildings or excavations on the border between properties or within 6 meters of a neighbouring property. But party wall agreements should also include the property’s drainage system. To ignore this can have serious consequences further down the line.

Two parties may make a party wall agreement simply if they want to lay out their expectations about a shared element. Usually, neighbours make a party wall agreement when construction is taking place. This could be when both parties want to complete work for their mutual benefit, or when one party is beginning work that borders the other’s property. The agreement should include thorough details on the proposed work, how it will progress and who will be paying for it.

A party wall agreement should also include a detailed report on the condition of any shared elements and the surrounding property. This includes the drainage system which may be shared by both properties. This report will uncover any factors that could affect the construction and potentially raise costs, and it can be used to make a comparison with the state of the property after the construction is complete. It is very important, therefore, to include a drain survey in the preparatory examination of the property before any construction work is carried out.

Carrying Out a Drainage Survey

A CCTV drain survey is particularly important if there is any drainage within 3 to 6 meters of the party wall. If there are pipes anywhere close to the construction, it is a good idea to have them checked. A CCTV drain survey will send a closed circuit TV through the pipes to look for any problems. It can reveal cracks, blockages, the intrusion of tree roots or any other problems. A leaking drainage pipe can pose a serious problem to nearby construction, so it is essential to locate and resolve any issues prior to beginning construction work.

The survey can also serve as evidence of the state of the drainage system prior to construction. If the construction results in any damage to your pipes, you can prove that the damage was not already there by referring to the drain survey. This will ensure that the proper party is charged for the repairs.

A party wall agreement is all about setting out details to ensure that there are no conflicts between neighbours. A drain survey is an essential part of that process to ensure that there will be no unforeseen problems coming from your drainage.